Lidlift Kenneth D. Steinsapir, M.D.
Cosmetic, Facial & Eye Plastic Surgery

Your life as a Mom can get extremely demanding with every ounce of your energy invested in taking care of your little ones, leaving no time for yourself. Let’s face it; accepting the changes in your body during pregnancy or post pregnancy is tough and it’s not unnatural to contemplate cosmetic surgery to revive your pre-pregnancy look that you miss so much. Before you consider cosmetic surgery, it is extremely important to understand which cosmetic treatment is the best and the safest for you at a holistic level.

In a world that is filled with million choices for cosmetic procedures and just as many opinions, the following points address some of the most common concerns related to cosmetic surgery for Moms and guide them to do what is right.

1. Thinking about BOTOX® or Restylane® While Pregnant?
It is not advisable to have cosmetic surgery or services like BOTOX® or Restylane® if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Despite this warning, Moms are occasionally tempted to undergo these treatments. A small study was conducted on women who received BOTOX® treatment and discovered later that they were pregnant. Although, there were no problems reported with their pregnancies, the use of BOTOX® during pregnancy or breast-feeding period and its effects on the developing fetus cannot be assured as safe. The use of BOTOX® in these circumstances is recommended only for medically critical issues in which the potential benefits that are derived from the treatment, outweigh the risks involved.

Even in case of fillers like Restylane® or Perlane®, there haven’t been any medical tests or studies conducted that will assure the safety of using these fillers during pregnancy or the breast-feeding period. The general consensus is to wait until after the pregnancy is complete. If you are planning for additional pregnancies, it is important to consider these time frames – the effects of BOTOX® and Dysport® are likely to last for 4 to 6 months. The effects of injecting fillers like Restylane® and Perlane® can last 12 to 24 months.

2. Why Are You Seeking Cosmetic Surgery?
This answer to this question could be at a deeper, psychological level. Some people turn to cosmetic surgery to conquer their insecurities. An insecure attachment style can be the source of the problem.

The bond with a mother and a child stimulates the growth and development in a child. The quality of this attachment plays a crucial role in the way in which the child’s personality is shaped. If infants are deprived of adequate love and attention in the first 24 months, the attachment style of the infant is affected and can result in an insecure attachment style. Insecurely attached children grow up to be insecurely attached adults. Studies have shown that these individuals suffer from a fear that their partner will abandon them and often resort to cosmetic treatments to get over their insecurity.

The presence of an insecure attachment style increases the risk of postpartum depression and also increases the risk of persistent depression. It is difficult to gain clarity of these issues and the patients tend to be in denial, by not acknowledging these problems roots of which, are at a deeper level and not the physical level. Cosmetic surgery does not fix the psychological issues. It is important to seek professional help to fight depression and undergo psychotherapy to solve the issues that are associated with an insecure attachment style.

3. How Did I Get This Muffin Top And How Do I Get Rid Of It?
Once your tummy was like a lotus blossom but now it resembles a muffin top. What on earth happened and what should you do about it? Let’s try to understand why it happened and what can be the best way to fix it.

Your obstetricians probably didn’t prepare you for the after-effect of your c-section. Their focus is the safe deliver of a healthy baby and make sure that your health is fine, and not so much how you will look in a bikini a year later. It is a common practice amongst obstetricians to place their hand on the lower tummy, just above the public bone to lift the up the tummy fat. This enables them to perform a smooth c-section incision without the obstruction of the tummy fat. This maneuver reduced the time it takes to perform the surgery. Unfortunately, at the end of the delivery when the wound is closed, the fat that was pushed up by this maneuver gets trapped above the c-section scar – hello muffin top!

The most widely circulated myth is that only a tummy tuck can fix the muffin top. In reality, a tummy tuck is not necessary to get rid of this localized fat. If your skin integrity is good, and the muscle wall was properly repaired at the time of the c-section; localized liposuction is all you need to make a vast difference. This can be done comfortably and safely in the office by a Dr. Steinsapir under local anesthesia with virtually no down time. On the other hand, if you have miles of stretched skin and a weakened stomach wall, then it is appropriate to consider a tummy tuck. Take home lesson; don’t have more surgery than you really need.

4. How to Tackle Weight Loss After Pregnancy?
Weight gain during and after pregnancy, is a natural phenomenon. However, retaining that extra weight after pregnancy is a personal choice. Cosmetic procedures like liposuction and tummy tuck do not help in weight loss. A lot of Moms take care of everyone else in their family, but neglect their own health. Simple exercises like going for a walk with your baby in a stroller or exercising to a video workout when your baby is napping, can help you to keep your weight in control. A healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise will help you in losing all those extra pounds. The key is to be consistent. Also, there are several studies that show that that breastfeeding helps to shed some of the weight gained during pregnancy.

Now, let’s talk about one of the most widely accepted cosmetic methods – Liposuction. It is critical to understand that liposuction does not cause weight loss. It is not a quick fix for your weight problem. Liposuction is a body sculpting mechanism and not a weight reduction procedure. Liposuction improves your silhouette by getting rid of the fat that is localized to only certain areas of the body. It is good for removing fat from areas like thighs, hips, abdomen, face, neck, and arms. Removing fat from these problem areas will result in a better, more pleasing silhouette.

The amount of fat that your body carries is only determined by what you eat and how much you exercise. Liposuction is great if you have stable weight and a limited number of problem areas, which persist despite following a healthy diet and a regular exercise regime. The fat removed will eventually find its way back into the body but it will be more evenly distributed, retaining the contouring effect of liposuction in the problem areas for a long period.

5. How Do I Choose The Right Cosmetic Surgeon?
A well qualified cosmetic surgeon should be board certified in one of four fields: general plastic surgery, facial plastic surgery, ophthalmology, or dermatology. Ophthalmologists should be fellowship trained in oculoplastic surgery and should be affiliated with the American Society for Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Dermatologists should have additional fellowship training in dermatologic surgery or cosmetic surgery. Additionally, the best qualified surgeons have gone on to do additional fellowship training in cosmetic surgery. Your surgeon should have hospital privileges and medical malpractice insurance for the procedures they perform. A teaching affiliation with a medical school establishes that the surgeon is academically respected in their community.

Also look to see that your potential doctor lectures other surgeons, publishes and establish new procedures like Dr. Steinsapir.

Most state medical boards publish physician profiles on their website. It is a public platform to find out information about your doctor including any lawsuit settlements, board actions or any other issues regarding your doctor. Many practice websites post the resume of the surgeon. It is a bad sign if you can’t figure out what your doctor was trained in. Ethical doctors will always be very proud of their training. Be wary of doctors that offer services which are completely unrelated to their training. For example, radiologists and anesthesiologists who offer cosmetic services like liposuction, or family practitioners who offer non-surgical office based cosmetic services.

It is worth stating that not everything you read on the Internet is trust worthy. The Lifestyle Lift® is a good example. This firm heavily promotes their facelift procedure that promises immediate effects and a fast recovery. However, the Attorney General of the State of New York, Andrew Cuomo, in July 2009 settled a lawsuit against this firm for $300,000. It seems that employees faked a flood of positive reviews on the Internet.

In addition to providing unique personal service to his patients, Dr. Steinsapir also regularly contributes to Realself.com, a website that puts consumers in direct contact with plastic surgeons for straight answers about cosmetic surgery. He also volunteer his time once a month as a surgeon at the Harbor/UCLA Medical Center, one the Los Angeles County Hospitals that provides the best possible care to the public without regard to the ability to pay for services. Contact Dr. Steinsapir today for a consultation tailored to your needs.